Notice of Request for Amendment of Project License to Allow a Temporary Suspension of the Minimum Flow Requirement for a Period of 5 to 10 Years

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 10, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15933-15934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8881]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Request for Amendment of Project License to Allow a 
Temporary Suspension of the Minimum Flow Requirement for a Period of 5 
to 10 Years

April 4, 1996.
    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection:
    a. Type of Application: Request for Amendment of Project License to 
Allow a Temporary Suspension of the Minimum Flow Requirement for a 
Period of 5 to 10 Years.
    b. Project No: 5276.
    c. Date Filed: May 16, 1995.
    d. Applicants: Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation and Northern 
Electric Power Company, LP.
    e. Name of Project: Hudson Falls Project.
    f. Location: On the Hudson River in Washington County, New York.
    g. File Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 791(a)-
825(r).
    h. Applicant Contacts: 

Keith Corneau, Manager, Environmental/Regulatory Affairs, Adirondack 
Hydro Development Corporation, Civic Center Plaza, Suite 100, 5 Warren 
Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801, (518) 761-3095
Mr. Sam S. Hirschey, P.E., Manager, Hydro Licensing & Regulatory 
Compliance, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, 300 Erie Boulevard West, 
Syracuse, NY 13202, (315) 428-6941
    i. FERC Contact: Sean Murphy, (202) 219-2964.
    j. Comment Dates: May 8, 1996.
    k. Description of Amendment: Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation and 
Northern Electric Power Company, LP (licensees) request a temporary 
suspension of the minimum flow requirement for a period of up to 10 
years. The licensees request that they be allowed to work with the New 
York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), General 
Electric (GE), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 
the removal of pure polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the shale 
bedrock of the bypassed reach. The licensees' contribution to the 
removal of the PCBs would be to suspend the minimum flow to the 
bypassed reach for a period of up to 10 years. The suspension of flow 
to the bypassed reach would allow the EPA, GE, and the DEC to inspect 
the reach and determine the appropriate remedial measures. During the 
suspension of minimum flows the licensees propose to divert the minimum 
flows through the project intake canal, turbines, and/or auxiliary 
release works. Flows in excess of the projects hydraulic capacity would 
be spilled over the project dam. The licensees propose to immediately 
return the minimum flow to the bypassed reach upon the notice of the 
DEC. If the remediation of the PCB problem is not complete after five 
years, the involved parties would review the progress made and make 
recommendations on continuing or ending the flow suspension.
    l. This notice also consists of the following standard paragraphs: 
B, C1, and D2.
    B. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene--Anyone may submit 
comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene in accordance with the 
requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, 
.214. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission 
will consider all protests or other comments filed, but only those who 
file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission's Rules 
may become a party to the proceeding. Any comments, protests, or 
motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified 
comment date for the particular application.
    C1. Filing and Service of Responsive Documents--Any filings must 
bear in all capital letters the title ``COMMENTS'' ``RECOMMENDATIONS 
FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS'', ``PROTEST'', or ``MOTION TO INTERVENE'', as 
applicable, and the

[[Page 15934]]
Project Number of the particular application to which the filing 
refers. Any of the above-named documents must be filed by providing the 
original and the number of copies provided by the Commission's 
regulations to: The Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426. A copy of any motion to 
intervene must also be served upon each representative of the Applicant 
specified in the particular application.
    D2. Agency Comments--Federal, state, and local agencies are invited 
to file comments on the described application. A copy of the 
application may be obtained by agencies directly from the Applicant. If 
an agency does not file comments within the time specified for filing 
comments, it will be presumed to have no comments. One copy of an 
agency's comments must also be sent to the Applicant's representatives.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-8881 Filed 4-9-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M